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16 million children across Eastern & Southern Africa need urgent support — around 13 million face malnutrition, including nearly 4 million with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), the most life-threatening form. 

The good news: it is treatable with proven solutions like ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) , backed by 30 years of life-saving impact.

A small contribution can help save a child’s life
6 weeks recovery  |  3 sachets/day treatment  |  No hospital needed  |  Proven life-saving solution

A small packet . An extraordinary impact . 

RUTF is a life-saving treatment that helps children recover from severe malnutrition — quickly, safely, and even at home. 

No clean water. No refrigeration. Just simple, effective nutrition delivered directly to the child. 

With a few sachets a day over a few weeks, children regain strength and return to healthy growth. Watch the video to see how it works. 

But today, millions of children still need urgent help. 
The need has never been greater.Give Monthly Keep Hope Alive. 

Right now, across Eastern and Southern Africa, nearly 13 million children are acutely malnourished — including almost 4 million suffering from severe acute malnutrition. 

Across Eastern and Southern Africa and the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia, life-saving treatment is at risk of running out — leaving children without the care they urgently need. 

There is an estimated $110 million funding gap for essential nutrition supplies across the region. 

Without sustained support, children will miss their chance to recover and survive. 

Why funds are needed
For 30 years, a small packet changed everything. 

Meet Adut, 14 months old — once too weak to stand, now on her way to recovery in South Sudan

Adut

While other children her age were walking, Adut couldn’t stand. 

At just 14 months old, Adut was brought to a UNICEF-supported clinic in South Sudan. She was weak, quiet, and severely malnourished — a condition that can quickly become life-threatening. 

“She appeared tired and helpless,” her mother recalls. “As a mother, it made me very worried.” 

But with simple, life-saving treatment using RUTF, Adut began to recover. No hospital stay. No complex care. Just a few sachets a day, given at home. 

Today, Adut is stronger — a reminder that with the right support, children can survive and grow. 

Since RUTF was developed in 1996, deaths of children under five from preventable causes have fallen by 50% — from nearly 10 million a year to fewer than 5 million. 
For 30 years, this little packet of RUTF (Ready to Use Therapeutic food) continues to save lives

It may look simple — just a small packet. A life-saving treatment a child can eat straight from the sachet, with no water, no refrigeration, and no hospital needed.

But for a child weakened by severe malnutrition, this small packet can mean the difference between life and death.

Every year, UNICEF delivers nearly 1 billion RUTF packets, reaching more than 9 million children worldwide — and with this treatment, 9 out of 10 children recover, often within just weeks.

UNICEF is 100% donor funded 

That’s why we need your help. Without donors like you, we cannot continue to reach every child who needs these life-saving packets.

Small monthly gifts save more lives

Training community health workers to screen children for signs of wasting so treatment starts before it’s too late.
Early detection of malnourished children
Training community health workers to screen children for signs of wasting so treatment starts before it’s too late.
Box of RUTF
Deliver life-saving treatment
Supplying health centres and mobile clinics with ready-to-use therapeutic Food (RUTF).
Donate today to help more children recover
Recovery Takes Time
Recovery doesn’t happen in a day.
Monthly support helps a child heal, grow, and thrive

“I was once a victim of a crisis. The experience was tough. The man who accommodated us treated us nicely. I know there are a lot of people out there who need help daily. To me, it doesn't matter whether you have all or not. With the little you have; you can put a smile on someone else's face.”

- Ifan, a UNICEF Donor

“Children are our future, so if their present is dark, our future is dark. We have an authentic channel and organization for supporting social causes. This is what motivates me to continue donating to UNICEF.”

- Anurag, a UNICEF Donor

“Being a UNICEF donor is an honor and privilege for me. When you make a donation, you give hope and happiness to children who need it the most.”

- Gashubije, a UNICEF Donor

“I know that my donations will get to the right people and assist them in their trouble. It makes me feel that I have done something special for those in need. I also believe UNICEF to be a worthy organisation and one which will use the money efficiently where it is most needed.”

- Sheelagh, a UNICEF Donor

“It seemed to me, after working with various other organizations, that UNICEF is the most focussed on children's needs and the most able. I feel I am able to make a difference no matter how big the task is with an organisation that never gives up!”

- George, a UNICEF Donor

“UNICEF has established its support for every human being. Their work is worthy of praise. Hoping for more success from your initiatives.”

- Abdul Waris, a UNICEF Donor

Got questions? We've got answers:

Your donation supports UNICEF’s work for children across Eastern and Southern Africa and beyond.

UNICEF encourages monthly donations to help us deliver sustainable, long-term solutions for children both in the region and globally.

Donating online through our UNICEF official websites is just as safe as any other online payment.

We use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption to protect your information and ensure that your donation is secure. Your card and personal data will be safe and secure.

UNICEF does not have access to your bank card details, we will only have access to the contact details you provide in the donation form: name, surname, e-mail and phone number. 

You can securely make a one-time and/or a monthly donation, on this page, by clicking on the donation buttons. Please select the donation amount that you want to give, then continue with the next steps to finish your donation.

No donation is too small, and any donation can help save children's lives. 

You choose for how long you wish to donate: monthly or only once. In order to contribute to a fundamental change in the lives of vulnerable children, the longer you choose to get involved, the more powerful your donation will be. Vulnerable children’s lives can improve if you are a part and contribute to the work that we are doing, and to the solutions that we are providing. By donating, you become an active part of the solution and of the change process.

A monthly donation is a simple way to provide ongoing support to children who need it most, helping ensure they receive care and protection not just once, but consistently over time.

Your monthly gift allows UNICEF to plan ahead, respond quickly, and use resources more efficiently—so we can reach more children, when they need help the most. The continued support of monthly donors plays a vital role in helping vulnerable children survive, recover, and build a better future.

UNICEF does not currently use offline fundraisers to collect donations.
If you wish to support our work, the safest way to donate is through our official online pages, like this one.

We may share our appeals on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube—but we will never contact individuals through personal messages to request donations.

Any information you provide on this official page is handled securely and used only to process your donation.

Yes, you will receive an automatic "Thank You" email which can be used as a receipt for your donation.

At the moment, UNICEF does not offer individual child sponsorship. Instead, your donation supports a wide range of essential programmes that protect all children: access to safe water and sanitation, nutrition and treatment for malnutrition, vaccinations, education, child protection, and emergency humanitarian assistance. This approach ensures that your contribution reaches the most vulnerable children across Eastern and Southern Africa, and beyond – wherever the needs are greatest.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact us at id [email protected]. 

Our donor care team is here to support you and address any concerns you may have.

With your support, every donation brings life-saving care and protection to children in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

*Your donation helps UNICEF support children and families facing urgent challenges across Eastern and Southern Africa. Your contribution is used where it can make the greatest difference—reaching those who need help most, quickly and effectively.